Subversion

 

In SUBVERTING THE (un)CONVENTIONAL American Cynthia Greig does just that. The show which is curated by Dick Goody not only fills the Oakland University Art Gallery with art pieces on the walls but even goes so far as to transform the space into a glimpse of a fictional characters home. The pieces that caught my eye the most however were C-Prints from a series called Representations (2002-2008). 
  


Representation no. 63, my favorite of the series is a 20” x 24” print affixed to a wall of the gallery alongside a small color television exhibiting another of Greig’s pieces. No. 63 is a image of an older model CRT television that has been painted white, and then drawn on with charcoal to create what appears to be a drawing at first glance. On the screen of the television is white noise that has a blue hue to it. Interestingly, the piece has different visual qualities depending on the distance viewed. When viewed from afar, the image is a perfect accurately drawn representation of a television. This impression is reinforced by the gestural nature of the lines, as well as the paint treatment done to the television. On closer inspection, one begins to see the finite textures on the surface, the pixelation of the white noise. Essentially, the detail cues you in that the image is a photograph, not a drawing.
  

The image of the TV itself has the appearance of being a drawing study, the television is centered within the confines of the frame and is the sole object within the composition. This focus on a single object grants the object a sense of provenance. The series is represented side by side across a wall in the gallery, with a doorway separating the Representation no. 63 from the rest of the images. Of the images, no. 63 appears to be the most capable of standing on its own, and has due to its color more visual interest. When viewed side-by-side the pieces in the series almost give the impression that they are from a catalog, akin to a personal record of possessions. The catalog feel perpetuates the already present feeling of austerity created by the stark white surface of the objects.
  


The images found in Representations are of everyday items. Some appear to be on the older side, the telephone or the fan for instance but on the whole they are items that could be easily found in a home. The treatment of the objects makes you see the sometimes veiled beauty in their design. Their industrial shells exhibit curves and lines that until contrast is made with the charcoal, you cannot readily see. The items become almost like weathered greek statues and with that connection the objects become majestic. Some of the other pieces in the gallery definitely fall into the category of a still life but this picture of the television in particular does not seem to give off that vibe. I would have to say that the picture almost feels more like photo used as a centerpiece in a work of graphic design than a typical fine art photograph.
  

When I look at the image, and subsequently the other images in the series, I have conflicted feelings. Not feelings of like or dislike, I definitely find the pieces interesting but more a feeling of questioning what occurred to cause the objects to be as they are, narratively. I see the objects and the first thing that pops into my mind is fine dust, almost like the objects have been left alone for so long that they are now caked in fine particulate. In some ways it feels like you are looking on a room that hasn’t been disturbed for years or the way someone would feel stumbling on the technological remains of a civilization. There is nothing distinctly sad about the work, but I can’t look at it and not think that something is amiss or that a tragedy has befell the original owner. Obviously, my mind is creating a fictional narrative to associate with the pictures but that feelings created by the objects is not something to be ignored.



On the other hand, as I stated above the piece emanates this feeling of austerity. The austere feeling isn’t one of being cold or sterile though, on the contrary the charcoal markings and the texture of the white paint give the impression that the surface would be chalk like. The surface looks as though if you were to touch it it would be neutral, matching the temperature of the environment not cold like a sculpture of marble or porcelain would be. In some regards that surface quality and neutral feel/color would return the object back to being a oft-overlooked appliance, it would eventually blend in. I feel as though this piece meshed well with the rest of the exhibition. The piece plays well into the idea of appearances not being what they seem and defying conventions.